We’ve been trained for years to use the bathroom scales as the ultimate judge of whether what we’re doing is “working”.

Numbers go down? Happy days.

Numbers stay the same — or, heaven forbid, go up? Suddenly it can feel as though all our efforts have been for nothing.

But especially in midlife, the scales tell us a very small part of a much bigger story.

Your body weight can fluctuate for all sorts of reasons. Hormonal changes, hydration, salt and carbohydrate intake, digestion and even when you last went to the loo can all affect the number you see that morning.

And if you’re strength training, there’s another important shift to consider: your body composition can change even when your overall weight doesn’t change very much.

So rather than allowing one number to decide whether you’re making progress, here are six other signs that what you’re doing is working.

1. You have more energy

This is a big one.

When you start eating more nourishing food, moving regularly, getting outside and generally looking after yourself a little better, you may notice that everyday life simply feels easier.

Perhaps you’re not experiencing the same afternoon slump. You’re less exhausted after work. You have enough energy to do something in the evening rather than collapsing on the sofa.

In midlife, when energy can already feel a little unpredictable, that matters.

2. Your head feels clearer

Brain fog is something many women notice during perimenopause and menopause, and poor sleep, stress and trying to juggle approximately 4,762 things at once certainly don’t help.

Regular movement, enough food and fluids, time outside and better sleep habits aren’t magic cures, but they can all support our physical and mental wellbeing.

If you’re concentrating better, feeling more alert or generally a little more like yourself, don’t dismiss it because the scales haven’t moved.

That’s progress.

3. Your energy feels steadier

If you’ve ever reached mid-afternoon and felt as though you’d sell a family member for a biscuit, you’ll know this feeling.

Eating regular, balanced meals containing protein, fibre, carbohydrates and healthy fats can help keep you satisfied and provide a steadier supply of energy throughout the day.

And when you’re not absolutely ravenous, making choices that support your health becomes a whole lot easier.

4. You’re actually satisfied after meals

For years women have been taught that eating healthily means eating less.

Tiny portions. Skipping meals. Picking at a salad and pretending we’re delighted about it.

But constantly feeling hungry isn’t a badge of honour.

Meals containing enough protein and fibre, alongside plenty of plants and foods you actually enjoy, are far more likely to leave you feeling satisfied.

If you’re finishing meals feeling comfortably full rather than immediately wondering what you can eat next, that’s another win.

5. Healthy eating feels more normal

One of my favourite signs of progress is when looking after yourself stops feeling like something you’re temporarily doing.

You’re not “being good”.

You’re not counting down the days until you can eat normally again.

You’re simply finding meals you enjoy, eating a little more protein or fibre, adding more fruit and vegetables, drinking more water — and still having the cake when you fancy the cake.

Because the aim isn’t to eat perfectly.

It’s to build a way of eating that supports your health and that you can actually live with.

6. Your clothes fit differently — and you’re getting stronger

This is particularly important if you’ve started strength training.

The scales might not change dramatically, but you may notice your jeans fitting differently, your waist measurement changing or your body feeling firmer.

But I’d encourage you to notice something else too:

What can your body do now that it couldn’t do before?

Perhaps you’re lifting a heavier dumbbell. Getting up from the floor more easily. Carrying the shopping without thinking about it. Walking further without getting tired. Feeling more stable and confident in your body.

For women in midlife, maintaining and building muscle and strength is incredibly valuable — and none of that can be measured by your bathroom scales.

Progress is bigger than a number

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight if that’s important to you.

But I don’t want the scales to have the power to wipe out every other positive change you’re making.

More energy matters.

Better sleep matters.

Feeling stronger matters.

Eating well without constantly being “on a diet” matters.

Feeling comfortable and confident in your body matters.

And perhaps one of the biggest signs of progress is simply that you’re still going — not perfectly, not following some impossible plan, but consistently doing a few things that support your health.

Because those small things, repeated over time, are where the real magic happens.